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Michael Cooper Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Celebration

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Michael Cooper Highlights

Highlights from eight-time All Defense team member Michael Cooper

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Great Defensive Play by Cooper

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Michael Cooper has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, class of 2024.

Cooper was named to eight NBA All-Defensive Teams, taking home First-Team accolades five times and winning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1987. The former third-round draft pick (60th overall) out of the University of New Mexico spent his entire 12-year NBA career (1978-90) with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships while routinely matching up with the opponent’s top shooter.

The 6-foot-5 forward largely played as a sixth man and in addition to his defense was known for his knee-high socks and being on the receiving end of alley-oops from Magic Johnson. The Pasadena native played in more than 80 games in nine of his 12 seasons.

Following his playing career, Cooper entered the coaching ranks and earned WNBA Coach of the Year accolades in 2000 with the Los Angeles Sparks before winning back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001-02.

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Michael Cooper Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame

Jerry West has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2024 as a contributor. As General Manager, West totaled eight NBA championships in Los Angeles (1980, ‘82, ‘85, ‘87-88, 2000-02). West helped build the great Showtime dynasty, including drafting Magic Johnson and James Worthy, won Executive of the Year in 1995, and brought in Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Phil Jackson between 1996 and 2000.

Jerry West was already enshrined as a player in 1980 and a member of the 1960 US Olympic Team in 2010.  In addition to his front office role with the Lakers, West played a role in the front offices for the Memphis Grizzlies, where he was again named Executive of the Year in 2004, Golden State Warriors, and LA Clippers.

West is the first member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame to be inducted as both a player and a contributor.

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Jerry West Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame as Contributor

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Every DLo 3 to Set the Lakers Single Season Record

Mike Trudell

On Friday night in Los Angeles, D’Angelo Russell set the Lakers franchise record for most 3-pointers made within a single season, drilling his 184th from range with 6:15 left in the first quarter against Philadelphia to surpass Nick Van Exel’s previous mark of 183, set in 1995.Russell went on to hit three more triples to get to 187 total, and has 12 more regular season games to continue to push his record further.“It just feels good to be a part of one of these type of deals,” said Russell. “This franchise is one of the most prestigious, so to have my name just to be a part of it, I’m more than grateful, blessed beyond measures, just want to keep continuing to shatter it if I can to make it hard for the next person.”Heading into Friday’s contest, a 101-94 win with significance as LAL tries to make a push towards the postseason, Russell was averaging 2.9 triples made per game in 6.8 attempts, for an impressive conversion rate of 42.4%. Since the All-Star break, only Phoenix’s Grayson Allen (49.6%) was making a higher percentage amongst those attempting at least 200 from three (47 players).Russell currently ranks 14th in the NBA in made 3’s this season, and of those shooters ahead of him, only Malik Beasley is shooting a better percentage (43.0%).That’s also Russell’s highest career percentage from deep, though he did make more total 3’s in 2018-19, his All-Star season in Brooklyn, when he set the franchise record with 234 makes. Should Russell continue his current pace of around three makes per game, he’d likely fall short of that 234, but he’s had games of nine, six, five and four makes within the last month, and an extended burst to finish the season certainly can’t be counted out.Here’s the new Lakers Top 10 in 3-pointers made: